... of socks come off the needles. These are done in Laines du Nord's Papiro (100% cotton) on #4s. I did them toe-up (of course) with a simple k2p2 rib on top and bottom of the foot and then again round the leg (with a loose BO in rib). The heel is done on the bottom in short-row stockinette and then "heel stitch" on the back of the heel.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Design Update: And another pair ...
... of socks come off the needles. These are done in Laines du Nord's Papiro (100% cotton) on #4s. I did them toe-up (of course) with a simple k2p2 rib on top and bottom of the foot and then again round the leg (with a loose BO in rib). The heel is done on the bottom in short-row stockinette and then "heel stitch" on the back of the heel.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Design Update: More Socks!
"Autumn Attitude" just came off the needles! These are done toe-up with a garter-stitch short-row heel then finished with alternating bands of knit and purl. 
Knit using Rowan's Cotton Glace (which knits up wonderfully!), the sole of the foot is a 2x2 rib to gain needed elasticity, while the top of the foot is a fun (and easily remembered) slip-stitch pattern.
Once the garter-stitch short-row heel was done, I changed to alternate bands of purl and knit to give the slouchy socks some fun. 
These can be worn pulled up mid-calf or pushed down with just a hint of the green showing. Wouldn't these be cute with leggings?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Design Update: Socks, socks, socks
Good morning! I haven't posted any projects in a while (except the one of mom's sweater which seemed to consume MUCH of my time!). But I've been on a sock-knitting binge, trying to "unvent" the best way to do toe-up, short-rowed heel, socks for all times of year. I've been knitting wool socks and cotton socks.
And I'm having a blast!
Here are the two pair I finished this week:
"LACY DAYS OF SUMMER" in Paton's Grace (mercerized cotton)
"GARDEN TRELLIS" in Schaeffer Yarn's Lola (100% Merino Wool Superwash)
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Custom Knitting: woman's sweater
I just (finally) finished a sweater for my mom ... it's knit using Knit Picks washable Swish.
This yarn feels so nice while knitting and washes marvelously. Using a US7, I got a great "hand" with a gauge of 6.25/inch. It's a standard, drop-shoulder cardigan, but since she wanted it longer than most sweaters (it's about 3 inches longer than a normal sweater) and she likes plain ... it was quite boring to knit. Since it's a cardigan, it was just knitting back and forth, back and forth.
The hipband, knit-in button-band and neck are seed stitch and I added just a hint of color (using a skein of Swish bare) to make it a bit more fun and interesting. The sleeves are knit from the armhole down ... working in the round to avoid seams, and finishing with a k1p1 rib on US2 dpns -- I've found that ribs are heartier when you go down quite a few sizes from the body needles.
She likes it, though and in the final analysis -- that's ALL that matters!
This yarn feels so nice while knitting and washes marvelously. Using a US7, I got a great "hand" with a gauge of 6.25/inch. It's a standard, drop-shoulder cardigan, but since she wanted it longer than most sweaters (it's about 3 inches longer than a normal sweater) and she likes plain ... it was quite boring to knit. Since it's a cardigan, it was just knitting back and forth, back and forth. The hipband, knit-in button-band and neck are seed stitch and I added just a hint of color (using a skein of Swish bare) to make it a bit more fun and interesting. The sleeves are knit from the armhole down ... working in the round to avoid seams, and finishing with a k1p1 rib on US2 dpns -- I've found that ribs are heartier when you go down quite a few sizes from the body needles.
She likes it, though and in the final analysis -- that's ALL that matters!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
RMCHEC -- come on by and say hi
Please join us down in Colorado Springs on June 6 and 7 for the 9th annual
RMCHEC, this year organized by the Colorado Springs Catholic home-educators, is a wonderful schedule of speakers and events for the two-day conference. Bishop Sheridan will celebrate Mass on Friday morning and a wonderful banquet on Friday evening.
I'll be speaking on "Handcrafts in the Homeschool" on Saturday afternoon as well as running a table selling living books from Hillside Education, Cay Gibson and others (and yes, my book -- Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family -- will be available too!)
Stop on by and say hi!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
It's often the little things ....
.... that REALLY make my day. But this one was so exciting I just had to share with everyone/anyone who reads my blog ....
Amazon has my book listed!
Yep, thanks to the hard-work of my publisher, Margot at Hillside Education, my book Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family is now officially available on Amazon.
Now this might not be a big deal to some .... but since I'm VERY OFTEN on Amazon, building up their stock by buying books every month, it's nice to know they're selling my book.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Online -- Free Knitting Patterns
OK, I'm cheap -- and I love seeing other's knitting patterns, not so much to make them as written, but to see new techniques or get ideas that I can then adapt to something else.
WELL, have I got a great site for y'all today: Free Knitting Patterns from Julie at "Little Cotton Rabbits". Here's an example of today's posting -- gorgeous, knitted Easter eggs to fill baskets!
She has also posted the charts and blank graph paper so you can chart your own! Aren't these cute? She has you knit them flat, seam them and stuff them .... I'll probably make some, but I'll do them in-the-round so I don't have to seam (I HATE seaming!) ... also, I might make them with a bulky and fill them and use a drawstring at one end as "easter baskets" this year!
She has also posted the charts and blank graph paper so you can chart your own! Aren't these cute? She has you knit them flat, seam them and stuff them .... I'll probably make some, but I'll do them in-the-round so I don't have to seam (I HATE seaming!) ... also, I might make them with a bulky and fill them and use a drawstring at one end as "easter baskets" this year! I love knitting and love thinking of knitting -- oh, if I only had more time TO KNIT!
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